Goose Management Plan for 2010

2010

$120,000

$10,000

The Okanagan Regional Goose Management Committee (ORGMC) is a valley-wide collaboration of local governments and other partners concerned about decreased water quality as a result of resident Canadian Geese populations. Many communities have been under pressure to improve water quality to avoid beach closures due to high coliform counts detected by Interior Health during their weekly water quality testing on public beaches. A direct link between the dramatic increase in Canada geese populations in the Okanagan Valley and poor water quality has been verified by the University of Victoria in a study carried out in 2008 co-funded by the City of Kelowna. Canada geese are congregating on beaches up and down the Valley where summer water quality samples show contaminants reaching threshold levels. Geese are also a major concern for the various water utilities in the valley. To an economy heavily geared to tourism this is an unacceptable scenario considering the most common activity visitors engage in while in Kelowna is water activities. Canada geese are resilient and adaptable birds and no single means can be used to effectively control the goose population. Grant funds were used for aerial nest and population surveys that guide the egg addling program and for a public outreach and education campaign. The high degree of collaboration within ORGMC and the public and outreach components fit nicely with the priorities of the grant program. For more information about goose control in the Okanagan visit: okanagangooseplan